Polyend Play+: build a kit

7 drum sounds this box makes on its own, in the order to build them.

Record each hit with the sampler, recorder, or DAW you use.

This block draws on the Polyend Play+ Manual Rev 2, pp.62-201; its values are starting points.

Everything else about the Polyend Play+

  1. 1KICK 1Sat-Sin kick, long modulated body, hard transient

    kick · hard

    Routing — PERC on a synth slot — the Kick part answers to C4 (p.111)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELPERC(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • KICK · MODELClassic8(Classic8, Synced8, Classic9)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • KICK · PITCHC1

      p.111 prints the span as C0-B8; C4 is the trigger note, not the tuning

    • KICK · BODY WAVESat-Sin(Sat-Sin, Triangle, Square, Square FM, FM1, FM3, FM7, FM 11, tzFM1, txFM3, tzFM7, txFM11, Glitch 1, Glitch 2, Glitch 3, Glitch 4)

      p.115: every wavetable starts at a sine at 0% and ends differently at 100%

    • KICK · BODY ATTACK0.4ms(0…10 ms)
    • KICK · BODY DECAY0.42Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • KICK · MOD DECAY0.08Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • KICK · MOD AMOUNT62(-100…100)

      p.116: on Classic8 this modulates wavetable position, not pitch

    • KICK · TRANSIENT TIMBRE34(-100…100)
    • KICK · TRANSIENT LEVEL78%(0…100 %)
    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as KICK 1.

  2. 2SNARE 1Classic9 snare, snap forward of the body

    snare · bright

    Routing — PERC on a synth slot — the Snare part answers to D4 (p.112)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELPERC(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • SNARE · MODELClassic9(Classic8, Classic9, Classic9+, Modern, Modern+)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • SNARE · PITCHD3

      p.112 prints the span as C0-B8; D4 is the trigger note

    • SNARE · TONE62%(0…100 %)

      p.116: sets the balance between the two body oscillators

    • SNARE · BODY WAVETriangle(Sat-Sin, Triangle, Square, Square FM, FM1, FM3, FM7, FM 11, tzFM1, txFM3, tzFM7, txFM11, Glitch 1, Glitch 2, Glitch 3, Glitch 4)
    • SNARE · BODY DECAY0.18Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • SNARE · SNAP ATTACK0.2ms(0…10 ms)
    • SNARE · SNAP DECAY0.24Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • SNARE · SNAP TIMBRE74%(0…100 %)

      p.116: the cutoff of the snap stage filters

    • SNARE · BODY/SNAP MIX30(-100…100)
    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as SNARE 1.

  3. 3TOM 1Three detuned oscillators, pitch falling through the decay

    tom · dark

    Routing — PERC on a synth slot — the Toms part answers to C0-B3 and C5 up (p.111)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELPERC(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • TOM · MODELResonant(Classic, Classic+, Resonant)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • TOM · BODY WAVESat-Sin(Sat-Sin, Triangle, Square, Square FM, FM1, FM3, FM7, FM 11, tzFM1, txFM3, tzFM7, txFM11, Glitch 1, Glitch 2, Glitch 3, Glitch 4)
    • TOM · BODY ATTACK0.6ms(0…10 ms)
    • TOM · BODY DECAY0.9Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • TOM · MOD DECAY0.2Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • TOM · PITCH MOD-320(-1000…1000)
    • TOM · WAVE MOD24(-100…100)
    • TOM · TRANSIENT TIMBRE60(0…200)

      p.116: the cutoff of a low-pass on constant white noise, not a burst

    • TOM · TRANSIENT LEVEL44%(0…100 %)
    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as TOM 1.

  4. 4CLOSED HAT 1Six-oscillator hat, short, top end left open

    closed-hat · clean

    Routing — PERC on a synth slot — the Hi Hat part answers to E4-G4 (p.112)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELPERC(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • HI HAT · MODELClassic(Classic, FM)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • HI HAT · TIMBRE12(0…24)

      p.116 names 12 as the best match of the TR-808

    • HI HAT · CLOSED DECAY0.09Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • HI HAT · OPEN DECAY0.6Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • HI HAT · DECAY SHAPE40%(0…100 %)
    • HI HAT · HPF CUTOFF6800Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • HI HAT · LPF CUTOFF16000Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • HI HAT · TONE/NOISE MIX-40(-100…100)

      negative favours noise over the tuned oscillators

    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as CLOSED HAT 1.

  5. 5RIDE 1Long cymbal body, impact kept short over it

    ride · bright

    Routing — PERC on a synth slot — the Cymbal part answers to A4 (p.113)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELPERC(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • CYMBAL · MODELClassic(Classic, FM)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • CYMBAL · TIMBRE12(0…24)

      p.116 names 12 as the best match of the TR-808

    • CYMBAL · BODY FILTER4200Hz(500…10000 Hz)
    • CYMBAL · IMPACT FILTER7600Hz(500…10000 Hz)
    • CYMBAL · BODY DECAY2.4Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • CYMBAL · IMPACT DECAY0.35Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • CYMBAL · TONE PITCH520Hz(80…880 Hz)
    • CYMBAL · TONE/NOISE MIX-30(-100…100)
    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as RIDE 1.

  6. 6METALLIC 17:1 FM with feedback, band-passed to a struck-metal ring

    metallic · bright

    Routing — WTFM on a synth slot of its own — one of the three (p.94)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELWTFM(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • OSCILLATOR · FM340%(0…1000 %)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • OSCILLATOR · RATIO 11(0.25…12)
    • OSCILLATOR · RATIO 27(0.25…12)
    • OSCILLATOR · SHAPE 142(0…100)
    • OSCILLATOR · SHAPE 268(0…100)
    • OSCILLATOR · CHARACTER 2Add 7(Smoother, Sharper, Wilder, Add 1, Add 2, Add 3, Add 5, Add 7, Add 11)
    • OSCILLATOR · FEEDBACK 226%(0…100 %)
    • FILTER · TYPEBand Pass SVF 12dB(Low Pass MG 24dB, Low Pass OB 24dB, Low Pass OB 12dB, Low Pass SVF 24dB, Low Pass SVF 12dB, Hi Pass OB 24dB, Hi Pass OB 12dB, Hi Pass SVF 24dB, Hi Pass SVF 12dB, Band Pass OB 24dB, Band Pass OB 12dB, Band Pass SVF 24dB, Band Pass SVF 12dB, Notch SVF 24dB, Notch SVF 12dB)
    • FILTER · CUTOFF3200Hz(20…20000 Hz)
    • FILTER · RESONANCE34%(0…100 %)
    • AMPLIFIER ENV · ATTACK0Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • AMPLIFIER ENV · DECAY0.9Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • AMPLIFIER ENV · SUSTAIN0%(0…100 %)
    • AMPLIFIER ENV · RELEASE1.2Sec(0…10 Sec)
    • VOICE · VOLUME120%(0…200 %)
    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as METALLIC 1.

  7. 7GHOST PERC 1Shaker, short and behind the beat

    ghost-perc · soft

    Routing — PERC on a synth slot — the Percussion part answers to B4 (p.113)

    • TRACK MODEMIDI / Synth(Audio sample, MIDI / Synth)

      function pads green in audio, purple in MIDI / Synth

      Hold [Shift], press [Audio/MIDI]

    • SYNTH MODELPERC(ACD, FAT, VAP, WTFM, PERC, DIRT)

      Turn (Sample) to a Synth slot

    • PERCUSSION · MODELShaker(Clap, Clap+, Maracas, Shaker, Cowbell)

      Screen menu > Synths > Edit Patch

    • PERCUSSION · VARIATION38(0…100)
    • PERCUSSION · TIMBRE56(0…100)
    • PERCUSSION · DECAY0.14Sec(0…2 Sec)
    • SWING50%(25…75 %)pattern-wide

      50% is no swing; select all tracks to set it once for the pattern

    Record one hit with your recorder as GHOST PERC 1.

Not in this kit

Bring clap, rim and open hat from another box or a sample library.